Roses Are Dying
by Pey119
Summary: Roses are dead, Violets are crying. I'm in a "hospital"….. They say I'm dying.
1. Prologue

_**Day 1:**_

Vision was blurred, hearing was strained. Only lights flashed through, red and blue, and than nothing. I was in the darkness again.  
I woke up after what seemed to be a million years, only to go back to sleep. I couldn't open my eyes, I couldn't lift my arm. Everything was in cyberspace, underwater. I knew I should have been worrying, but I couldn't even think about that. All I knew was that there was no pain.  
No pain.  
That was all I ever really wanted.  
The bed under me is hard, the pillow thin. Blankets are warm, almost heated, with the air around them freezing. I can't do anything about it, and I can barely comprehend it.  
Am I dead?

 _ **Day 2:**_

The last thing I remember is hearing their screams, seeing their blood all over me, and than the way he screamed my name….  
But I couldn't think of my name.  
Did I even have one?  
I knew I was floating, space and time unknown to me. I could feel the water against my fingertips, the way it carried my body through the waves.  
But I could also still feel the hard bed beneath me. It was as stiff as a board, unmoving, even under my weight. I knew I had a bed before….before this…..darkness…..this floating… But no memories came.  
Where was I, really?

 _ **Day 3:**_

One Mississippi.  
Two Mississippi.  
Three Mississippi…  
I could count now. I counted the seconds, repeatedly, every time I reached ten Mississippi. What was after ten Mississippi? Was there anything after it?  
No, it just went back to one Mississippi.

 _ **Day 8:**_

I can hear them! Their voices, they drift in and out. Sometimes, I even can picture their faces. Sea green eyes, wavy to match the ocean. I can't remember his name, but I can almost picture his whole face. It was really beautiful, I know that.  
How do I know that?  
What was his name?  
Where was he?  
Was he hear, in the water with me, or did he have something to do with the bed?  
Why couldn't he here me when I screamed for help?

 _ **Day 10:**_

I still can't see, and I'm getting scared. The things they're saying, the threats they're making….  
This time, though, I can remember brown eyes, almost chocolate in color. They always smiled warmly at me; they were bright and full of life…..and then full of blood.  
What happened to the brown eyes?  
Then, the ocean I lay in was full of guilt, and I could barely breathe. What was happening? What was happening?!  
Save me.  
Save me!  
Please….save me…

 _ **Day 20:**_

I can understand what they're talking about, kind of…

Roses are dead,  
Violets are crying.  
I'm in a "hospital"…..  
They say I'm dying.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Day 34:**_

The voice came back, the one with the beautifully sea green eyes…..and this time, I could understand every word.  
 _'I'm so, so sorry. I mean, I know you didn't mean to. You wouldn't have done that on purpose, right? They will believe you. You loved them, you loved them so much. Oh, Nico,…..what were you thinking?_  
 _Annabeth refuses to come in here. She is scared; you can see it in her eyes. But if you just wake up, you can explain you didn't mean it. You have to, Nico. You have to wake up. I'm counting on you. You're my best friend, my little brother. You can't leave me. Please,…..just wake up. Move, or squeeze my hand. Just let me know you're there, that you can hear me.'_  
Nico…..my name is Nico…Nico…Nico….Nico….I couldn't let myself forget that. And the sea green eyes, he wanted me to wake up.  
But I wasn't asleep. I was in the water, I was swimming. Why did he think I was asleep? Did he not see me? I screamed again, as loud as I possibly could, but he didn't hear me. Why couldn't he hear and help me?!  
The sea green eyes sighed. _'I've got to go now, buddy. My mom's waiting for me. I'll be back tomorrow though, I promise. You can wake up tomorrow, yeah?'_  
A mom….I had a mom, didn't I?  
I didn't hear the sea green eyes for a while after he was done speaking. Did he really leave? How did he get out of the water?! Why didn't he take me with him?!  
And then, all at once, I couldn't breathe again. The water was coming up all over me; coming into my lungs….I was breathing water…. I was swimming….I was drowning….My chest hurt so bad….  
 _'Nico! Stay alive, you hear me?!'_  
I did hear him, I really did. I would never not listen to eyes like those, so very like the ocean, so big and proud and caring. But what did he mean, stay alive? Wasn't I dying? Wasn't I already dead?  
The pain in my chest stopped, but it still felt like it held the weight of the world. What was happening to me?  
 _'Nico, don't ever scare me like that again, you hear me? You can't die, I don't care if I have to pound that in your skull. You. Are. Not. Dying. Got that?'_  
I got it, and I would stay alive, but who are you?… If you want me to live, why can't you take me out of the ocean?  
Sea green eyes didn't respond. I think he left me again. Why does he keep leaving me?  
I spent another few hours drifting in and out of sleep, the murmuring of the ocean against my skin. But then, another voice came.  
Another voice! There's other people hear, too!  
 _'Hey Death Breath…..wow, I guess that name suits you now.'_ I couldn't think of who was talking, but she sounded like…blue. Her color was blue. She was blue.  
 _'I came here to ask you why you did it. I was furious for so long. Bianca was my best friend, almost like my sister. But that didn't stop you, huh? I guess you finally snapped. They've been thinking it was going to happen, but we didn't know you would go that over the edge._  
 _'I was going to come here and yell at you, but than I found out that you have been in a coma since… What's up with that? They can't find anything wrong, but they think you're brain dead….but you were healthy, so healthy. What happened to you, Nico? I-if you can here me, just try to live, okay? There's no way I'm just letting you die on me. And you have to do it soon, got that? You need to wake up soon before they take you off the ventilator. 'Cause when they do, you're going to die, so wake up for me._  
 _'I really miss talking to you….'_  
Bianca….Bianca…Bianca…. Bianca! Brown eyed Bianca! I knew her name now! I can remember! They were chocolate brown, with gold specks in the sunlight.  
They were my favorite eyes, and then they were filled with blood.  
Why were they filled with blood?  
I think Blue left. She hasn't spoken in awhile…  
I wish she would speak again.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Day 40:**_

Sea green eyes hasn't been here in awhile. I'm starting to get scared again. I just want someone to talk to me, why can't they talk to me? They were before. Did I actually die this time?  
Ever since Blue left, I can't hear anything anymore. But I'm probably underwater, so I guess that's okay.  
I just wish the darkness would go away. I've always been afraid of the dark.

 _ **Day 43:**_

Blue, black, green, brown…  
What are the other colors?

 _ **Day 45:**_

Bianca…Nico…Bianca…Nico….  
Names. I had a name, Bianca had a name.  
It was getting hard to remember that.

 _ **Day 50:**_

 _'Nico di Angelo…I don't know what to think anymore.'_  
That voice….I can't remember. Why can't I remember? Where were the eyes?  
 _'I've known you since we were all kids….I though you hated me after awhile. But there was that one time, when we were all happy, before you were diagnosed. It's been awhile since I've seen you smile._  
 _'Why can't we go back to when we all smiled?'_  
I know it…I know it…..think…think…think…think!  
Grey eyes! I got it! She's got grey eyes, I know she does. But why do I hate her?  
 _'You finally snapped, huh? I was expecting it, no offense. You were getting worse as each day went by. I just never thought you would do that. I thought you loved them. I guess we all have our flaws, huh?_  
 _'Oh, before I forget! I was reading this book yesterday, you would have loved it! I thought of you as soon as I started it, and I'll give it to you when you wake up…..If you wake up. I have to keep reminding myself about that. It seems unreal, you how you are. When you were little, you were always everywhere, asking all these questions. You loved to learn about your friends. I always watched from a distance, laughing at your naive-itivity. And then, as you got older, I watched as you smile became forced, and slowly the questions stopped, and you never talked to us anymore. You always talked to your "friends"…they were not your friends, and I hope you aren't trapped with them now. I really hope you aren't. You didn't deserve to turn out like this, but what you did to them…murderer….I hope you burn in Hell.'_  
What did I do? I-I wasn't a murderer! I couldn't be! I couldn't even lift my arm! Why…..why…..she hates me….I can't think…my chest hurts….oh, God! My chest hurts!  
What's that noise? What's that beeping?! It's getting faster! Oh, God, help me!


	4. Chapter 3

_**Day 54:**_

'I'm sorry, but after 182 days, we will have to take him off the ventilator. It's the rules.'  
'But what if was about to wake up?! He's not brain dead, I swear! He'll wake up. That's only six months.'  
'I'm sorry, but that's the rules. We've been monitoring his brain activity, and there is very little. He can't stay like this forever. You should let him go. Staying here is only causing him pain.'  
'You have no idea what is causing him pain! You just want this room opened up for the hospital! He's basically my baby brother. I'm not just letting him die.'  
I've been listening to them for a long time now. Sea Green Eyes was back, and he was always arguing with the other voice. He was so mad, but I guess I would be, too. They were saying I was in pain….. I haven't been in pain for so long! I don't having that aching in my stomach, or the throbbing on my back. I'm free now. Why couldn't they just leave me as I was?  
'Nico, they're starting to get impatient. You need to wake up soon.'  
I'm not asleep. I'm not asleep. Why was he saying I was asleep?!  
'I know you might be scared to wake up, but trust me, you'll feel a lot better when you do. You can get help. There's meds you can take…you can have a life. You can come and live with me, you'll have enough food. ….you won't be beaten anymore…'  
'You keep crashing, especially when somebody says something to you. I really believe you can hear me. And I find comfort in that. You've been my best friend for years, you've always been there for me. I can't imagine my life without you. I went through my first heartbreak with you, and every one after. There is so much that has been happening, especially at school, I wish you were there. Like at lunch the other day, Leo started this epic food fight that resulted in every single kid having food splattered all over them. It was so much fun, and though I don't like to admit it, that was the first time I forgot about you. It seemed like of this happened, and I was happy. But I still miss you, Nico. You need to know that.'

 _ **Day 60:**_

Sea Green Eyes hasn't been back. I'm starting to get really lonely here. I wish somebody would talk to me, anybody. Even the one that hated me. Maybe they're trying to find a way to get me out of the water. It's been really cold lately. I think I've wondered into the part with ice, cause I can never stop shivering. I miss being warm, I really do.

 _ **Day 70:**_

I think they're waiting for me to die, or they just forgot about me. Maybe I am in a coma, after all. I don't like to think about that, but the water has become so cold I am numb, and I can't feel it anymore. I think they like to see me die, especially grey eyes.

 _ **Day 80:**_

It hurts! Oh, god, it hurts!  
My back is getting stabbed…..it hurts…..it hurts…..I can taste my blood, I smell my burning flesh. Something is wrong. Something is seriously wrong.

 _ **Day 90:**_

Just let me die! Kill me, please! This pain, it's everywhere, it won't stop. I can't stop it…..I cant stop it. Oh, just let it kill me! Take me off of the stupid ventilator! I don't care anymore about living. I just…want….to…die…

 _ **Day 100:**_

Pain…..  
Pain….  
Pain…..  
All I can think of is pain….

 _ **Day 110:**_

The darkness…..it's red…..everything is red….this isn't right…..it wasn't like this before…..something's wrong…why is everything red?….

 _ **Day 130:**_

…


	5. Chapter 4

_**Day 150:**_

It doesn't hurt that bad anymore, well, more like I've gotten used to it. That's sad, isn't it?  
My right elbow itches very badly, and if I could itch it, I would. But I can't move, not even a little. I wish somebody would scratch it for me. I wish somebody would come back.  
God, it itches so bad! If I could just move, one inch, one inch…..one inch…  
I- I think my fingertips moved. I think they moved. Oh, god, I think I moved my fingertips! And, and the water wasn't around them. Oh god, I'm out of the water!  
But why is it so cold?

 _ **Day 151:**_

I really thought I moved them, I really did, but the way they're talking…they didn't see it. Every time they come back, I try to do it again, but I can't. I really can't. I wish I could.  
 _'Hey, Nico, I'm sorry I haven't been here in so long. School started up again, and I've been really busy. Too busy. I hope you understand.'_  
Sea Green eyes, Sea Green eyes….  
He was my favorite person that talked to me.  
 _'Anyways, in my Literature class today, she handed out poems we have to memorize. The one I got…it reminded me of you. I thought you would want to here it. So, um, I guess, here it goes._  
 _'Are We Insane by Rebekah Easom._  
 _'The earth is stained with human anguish,_  
 _By such infamous deeds we can't dismiss,_  
 _Why should we all die in terrible torment,_  
 _Or be stuck down at any unjust moment._  
 _With our beautiful cities laid waste in ashes,_  
 _When the army's of the powers embrace in clashes,_  
 _While the horn of the oppressor is blown,_  
 _And the seeds of destruction are sown._  
 _It is for the eyes of the world to find every fault,_  
 _And to correct them before our civilization is naught,_  
 _What good is it to say that victory was mine,_  
 _When I doing so I severed every family line._  
 _Blacks and whites and all shades between,_  
 _Know we're heading for more conflicts then there's ever been,_  
 _And how will we receive Christ when he returns to earth again,_  
 _Will he be nailed to a cross one more by us.'_  
 _'I don't know why that reminded me of you, but it did. I hope you like it. You used to write poems and stories all the time, but you wouldn't let me read them. You always told me my mind wasn't ready to hear them, and I still don't know what that means. I hope I will soon, though._  
 _'Anyways, I have to go home and get my homework done. I can't just fail my last year of high school. I'm still praying for you, I still believe in you. I'll be back some time soon. Bye, Nico.'_  
No, don't leave, please! Read more to me, talk about anybody you want! Just don't leave please! Maybe, maybe if I move my finger, maybe he'll stay. Please move…please move….  
Oh, god, I think it moved!  
It was still silent.  
 _'N-Nico, please…please tell me I….just…saw that.'_  
He saw it, he saw it! Do it again! Do it again!  
I couldn't do it again.  
 _'I'm seeing things, that's all. I have to go, I can't stay here just because I thought I saw something. I need to go.'_  
I think I scared him off.

 _ **Day 155:**_

It's getting harder to even think.

 _ **Day 160:**_

 _'Nico, I was assigned another poem. You want to hear it…..? Yeah, I think you do. Anyways, here it goes._  
 _'Who knifed my wife; who took her soul?_  
 _I do not know, I lover her so._  
 _Was hard to see her bloody body_  
 _Lying lifeless, an empty mess._  
 _I do not know who knife my wife,_  
 _I was there that night,_  
 _Singing her a lullaby._  
 _Within minutes, I was in_  
 _A swamp of vampires that hollered in my head._  
 _Stab her to death!_  
 _Kill her, they said._  
 _Red and hot it beat, my heart_  
 _An insane rage ripped it apart._  
 _Left as she slept, without a sound_  
 _Hounded by the fiends who_  
 _Followed me around._  
 _Ran to our room, rested, and soon_  
 _I looked to see the vampires_  
 _Dancing on the moon._  
 _Pulled out a blade and let them see_  
 _Heard her scream_  
 _"Honey, stop! Please!"_  
 _I growled and howled and locked the door_  
 _The blade in my hand began to glow._  
 _Sneers and jeers ringed their mouths,_  
 _Menace and mirth on devilish pout._  
 _"Stop!" she cried, stupefied but the_  
 _Vampires began to fly._  
 _I know who dragged my wife like a_  
 _Beggar's rag; the vampires, not I._  
 _Looked to see her sunk in blood_  
 _The fiends fighting on her head._  
 _Hacked and cracked, stomped and_  
 _Stabbed._  
 _The blade was bad and jagged._  
 _With a feral moan they left her alone, alive._  
 _Her eyes had light but she died that night_  
 _Was it all a lie?_  
 _I do not know who killed my love_  
 _Who slashed her body, took her soul_  
 _Who hammered her from head to toe._  
 _I do not know_  
 _I loved her so!'_  
 _'While reading it, I was reminded of you. Was that how you felt that night, Nico? Where they pressuring you to do it? Where they even there? I hope it was them and not yourself. I really hope so._  
 _'I've got to go, I'll see you some other time. Keep hanging in there, bro.'_


	6. Chapter 5

_**A/N: I really really want to tell you what happened and the backstory, but that's going to be later in the story, so I'm not going to spoil it. Thanks for all the reviews ~Peyton**_

Percy brought his tray of food over to the table, squeezing through the crowded cafeteria. When he got to the table, he saw that the rest of his friends were already there. They had all said they would go in with him, this time, since they hadn't before. First, though, they stopped to eat.  
Percy glanced over at Thalia, who looked hesitant with going back to see Nico. Percy knew how it was to feel confused about the whole thing, but it was worse for her, for some reason.  
"Hospital food sucks." Leo commented, eating through the burger anyways. Piper sat next to him, grimacing at food flew from Leo's mouth onto the table.  
"Yeah, I know." Annabeth replied bitterly, stabbing her salad with her fork. "I still can't believe I came here again."  
"You'll get to visit Hazel." Frank commented. "She's walking again. You should see her, Annabeth. It's almost like nothing happened."  
"But it did." Annabeth replied coldly. "And I'll never be able to forget that."  
Jason wrapped his arm around Piper's shoulders. "You've been saying you've wanted to see him. You should be excited."  
"I'm nervous." Piper answered.  
"I think we all are." Thalia spoke for the first time. "It's different for you guys, though. He isn't your cousin. It doesn't effect you as much."  
"Thalia's right." Piper said quietly.  
It was silent for a couple minutes, everyone finishing their food. When they were done, they all stood up and through their garbage away.  
"Are we visiting him first?" Jason asked as they entered the elevator.  
"Yeah, it that okay with you guys?" Percy asked sullenly.  
They all nodded, except for Annabeth, who pursed her lips and turned towards the wall. When they got off of the elevator, Percy led them down the way he always came. He reached room 312 before turning towards them.  
"This is it." he said, gesturing towards the room before going in, as if he was home. The other's followed him reluctantly, some of them seeing him for t he first time since that night.  
"My god," Piper covered her mouth with her hand, staring at his pale form. "It's been so long…."  
"He's been in the coma for a hundred and sixty five days." Percy rambled off easily, opening a cupboard to were he kept his stuff, pulling out his Literature Book and opening to a bookmarked page. "I've been reading him poems, you know how he loves them."  
They sat down silently, Piper sitting on the bed beside Nico, putting a hand on his arm, which was so pale you could almost see every vein. In his left elbow, he had an IV in, which was giving him fluids and basic things to stay alive. He had been trached a couple weeks ago when he wouldn't stop flat lining, so he had a tube entering the front of his neck, a long strip of tape holding it into place. His eyes, sunken circles underneath, were permanently closed, eyelashes resting neatly on his eyelids. His arms were resting at his sides, strapped down just incase he woke up. His fingers stuck out, though, the ones Percy thought he saw move….  
"He looks dead." Frank said shortly, staring wide eyed at him. "He's been like this the whole time?"  
"Yeah," Thalia answered quietly. "They say he's brain dead…But I don't know. I like to think he can hear us."  
"Which is why I've been reading to him." Percy said, coming over to the bed. "Piper, do you want to read it?"  
"Yeah, sure." she replied, taking the book from Percy's outstretched hand. Her eyes landed on the poem, and she began to read, moving closer to Nico's ear.  
"T'was a dream inside a dream inside the mind of a lunatic  
Incongruous visions swirled about mirrored walls.  
Mixing and blending all colored soft matter folded together  
Resulting in a nightmare only the insane would enjoy  
Taste and scent are emphatic with rich pungent array  
So real inside, real inside, round and around  
Dreams taking advantage of the lunatic's screams  
Subconscious minds scramble for the handle that releases the demons  
Let them fly in the dreams of another unnoticed  
And may the lunatic sleep again without thought  
To return once again for the horror that ravels within  
A lunatic's mind again and again."  
Annabeth snorted. "Fits him perfectly."  
Percy looked over at her. "He liked dark poems like that. That's why I read those."  
"So, they think he's brain dead?" Jason asked, trying to stop a fight before it started.  
"Yeah, said that after 182 days with no response from him they're going to take him off of the ventilator."  
"What does that mean?" Frank asked, looking at Percy curiously.  
"It means he'll die." Jason said, folding his arms over his chest.

 _ **Day 166:**_

….I…..think…..this…is…it….I…think…I'm….finally…dying…..


	7. Chapter 6

_**Day 170:**_

 _'Here's another poem for you, Nico. Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe._

 _'It was many and many a year ago,_

 _In this kingdom by the sea,_

 _That a maiden there lived whom you may know,_

 _By the name of Annabel Lee;_

 _And this maiden she lived with no other thought_

 _Than to love and be loved by me._

 _I was a child and she was a child,_

 _In this kingdom by the sea,_

 _But we loved with a love that was more than love-_

 _I and my Annabel Lee-_

 _With a love that the winging seraphs of Heaven_

 _Coveted her and me._

 _And that was the reason that, long ago,_

 _In this kingdom by the sea,_

 _A wind blew out of a cloud,_

 _Chilling my Annabel Lee;_

 _So that her highborn kinsmen came_

 _And bore her away from me,_

 _To shut her up in a sepulchre_

 _In this kingdom by the sea._

 _The angels, not so happy in Heaven,_

 _Went envying her and me-_

 _Yes! That was the reason (As all men know,_

 _In this kingdom by the sea)_

 _That the wind came out of the cloud by night,_

 _Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee._

 _But our love it was stronger by far than the love_

 _Of those who were older than we-_

 _Of many far wiser than we-_

 _And neither the angel in Heaven above,_

 _Nor the demons down under the sea,_

 _Can ever dissever my soul from the soul_

 _Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;_

 _For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams_

 _Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;_

 _And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes_

 _Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;_

 _And so, all the night tide, I lay down by the side_

 _Of my darling-my darling-my life and my bride,_

 _In her sepulchre there by the sea-_

 _In her tomb by the sounding sea.'_

 _'A picked this one out, because it's about death….The date is coming up, Nico. If you don't wake up by then…._

 _'I found your old journal in your house, since they told me to bring all of your stuff t he my house. It was written when_

 _you were really bad….but you said how you wanted your funeral to be, every last detail. I'll make sure to make it exactly_

 _like that, Nico. I promise. It's the least I could do. I hope that thought comforts you, if you're afraid of dying. I hope you_

 _aren't afraid, but after what happened…I don't know where you would go when you die. I hope it's somewhere good._

 _Anyways, I've got to go. I'll swing by tomorrow, okay?'_

 _ **Day 171:**_

_'My mom doesn't believe you'll wake up, but I still believe you will. I hope you will. I miss my little brother. I know you_

 _hate when I say that, but it's true. You're closer than a cousin, Nico, you should know that.'_

 _ **Day 172:**_

 _'Hazel's doing a lot better, Nico. You should see her. She's getting out of the hospital today, and she's going to LA to live_

 _with your dad. I…I think she's too nervous to live with you again, but I don't want you to feel bad. You didn't mean_

 _it…..it was the schizophrenia…..it had to be the schizophrenia. I just wish I could convince them of that._

 _ **Day 173:**_

 _'Hazel left yesterday….I think we're all going to miss her. But its better for her there. She doesn't have to live in fear._

 _When Gabe used to live with us….I know how that feels. This way, her life can go on. She still worries for you, though,_

 _and she always will, no matter what you do to her. You're still her big brother, and you always will be. She still loves_

 _you, and it'll crush her if you die. Please, just decide to live. I believe in you.'_

 _ **Day 174:**_

 _'I was going through your journal, and you wrote that one of the songs you wanted played at your funeral was the_

 _acoustic version of Helena by My Chemical Romance. I think that was one of your favorite bands, 'cause you had a lot of_

 _their posters on your walls. I downloaded it on my phone, so I could play it for you know. I thought you would like that.'_

 _ ***Long ago, just like the hearse, you die to get in again. We are so far from you. Burning on just like a**_

 _ **match you strike to incinerate the lives of everyone you know. And what's the worst you take (worst you**_

 _ **take), from every heart you break (heart you break). And like the blade you stain (blade you stain) Well,**_

 _ **I've been holding on tonight. What's the worst that I can say? Things are better if I stay. So long and**_

 _ **goodnight. So long and goodnight. Came a time when every star fall brought you to tears again. We are the**_

 _ **very hurt you sold. And what's the worst you take (worst you take) from every heart you break (heart**_

 _ **you break). And like the blade you stain (blade you stain) Well, I've been holding on tonight. What's the**_

 _ **worst that I can say? Things are better if I stay. So long and goodnight. So long and goodnight. And if you**_

 _ **carry on this way, things are better if I stay. So long and goodnight. So long and goodnight. Can you hear**_

 _ **me? Are you near me? Can we pretend to leave and then we'll meet again when both our cars collide.**_

 _ **What's the worst that I can say? Things are better if I stay. So long and goodnight. So long and goodnight***_

 _ **Day 175:**_

 _'Nico, you only have six more days…please wake up. I really miss you. We used to talk all the time, then you got bad,_

 _but we still talked sometimes. I remember the day I knew your smile was fake, your laugh broken. I wish we could go_

 _back to when it wasn't, before anything ever happened. It used to be such a great life. What happened to that? I_

 _remember how I used to think you would change the world someday. I still think you can, but you're running out of_

 _time.'_

 _ **Day 176:**_

 _'Your writing also said you like the song called Desert Song by My Chemical Romance. I got that one, too, for you.'_

 _ ***They hold in our hearts the sword and the faith, swelled up from the rain clouds, move like a wraith.**_

 _ **Well, after all, we'll lay another day? And through it all we'll find some other way to carry on through**_

 _ **cartilage and fluid. And did you come to stare or wash away the blood? Well, tonight, well, tonight will it**_

 _ **ever come? Spend the rest of your days rockin' out just for the dead. Well, tonight will it ever come? I can**_

 _ **see you awake anytime in my head. Did we all fall down? Did we all fall down? Did we all fall down? Did**_

 _ **we all fall down? From the lights to the pavement, from the van to the floor, from backstage to the doctor,**_

 _ **from the earth to the morgue. Morgue, morgue, morgue. Well, tonight will it ever come? Spend the rest of**_

 _ **your days rockin' out just for the dead. Well, tonight will it ever come? I can see you wake anytime in my**_

 _ **head. All fall down, well, after all.***_

 _'You liked a lot of depressing songs, Nico. Now I can see how damaged you really were. Do you even want to live?'_

 _ **Day 177:**_

 _'Nico…I'm starting to give up on you. I can't believe this is happening…but it is. Oh, god, I can't believe this is_

 _happening.'_

 _ **Day 181:**_

 _'Nico…tomorrow is the date. If you don't wake up…._

 _'You lived life in your mind, a short life, and now you're going to die young. Oh, god, kids aren't supposed to die this_

 _young. You're fifteen! Fifteen! You're birthday is in a couple months. I honestly don't believe you'll live to see it. Nico, if_

 _you can hear me, this may be the last time I ever get to talk to you, so listen closely._

 _'You meant so much to me, I don't know how I'll live without, but I'll get through, I know I can, though I don't want to._

 _You didn't deserve this, and it wasn't your fault. You couldn't help your mental illness; nobody could, no matter how_

 _many times they tried, all those meds and treatments… If anything, I think they made it worse. But through all of that,_

 _I still have faith in you. I thought you could beat it, like the true fighter you really are. I thought you were going to grow_

 _old, marry and have kids, and make a difference in this world. I thought that you were here for something more than_

 _this, something more than New York, more than America. I guess I was wrong. Just remember, wherever you go in the_

 _afterlife, I will be praying for you, and I still love you. Hazel still loves you. We all still love you. So, may the angels carry_

 _you up to Heaven, 'cause it's your time. Goodbye, baby cousin, I love you.'_


	8. Chapter 7

That morning, Percy woke with a pool of dread foaming in his stomach. In a couple hours, he knew he would either be celebrating or planning a funeral. His mom let him skip school that day, and she would be coming with him to the hospital. Possibly for the last time.

When Percy entered the room, nobody was there yet, and Percy sat in his usual chair besides Nico's bed. A cold draft was coming through the window, but Percy left it open like he did every day, since he knew Nico used to keep the window in his room open all year long, even when it was below zero. He said the cold kept him grounded. If only it had worked that day.

"Nico, today's the day…." Percy didn't know what else to say. A million goodbyes swarmed through his mind, but he couldn't think of which one would be good, which one would explain everything that Percy felt. Emotions swam around in his mind until he was barely able to think, the tears starting to escape his eyes.

 _'No,'_ Percy thought, wiping furiously at his eyes. _'Save your tears until it really happens, until he's gone. Then you can cry.'_

The doctor walked in, causing Percy's heart to almost stop from fear. This was it…this was it…

"I'm going to do the tests one more time," Dr. Solace said, coming more into the room. "I wouldn't get your hopes up, though."

Dr. Solace had always been Percy's favorite doctor of Nico's. He was in his mid thirties, with blond hair that almost reached his shoulders and blue eyes that matched the sky. Still a little childish, Percy could relate to him more than the others. His son, Will Solace, went to school with Percy, and they were acquaintances. The family was nice enough, with the same looks passed on by gene, and they never seemed to give up. But Percy knew that if Nico showed no signs of life today, Dr. Solace would have nothing left to do. It was the rules, and he couldn't go against them, no matter how many times Percy pleaded.

Dr. Solace steeped to the other side of Nico's bed, checking the things he needed before trying Nico's reflexes, none of them working.

"Maybe I should just do them again." he said reluctantly, not wanting to give up just yet. "Maybe….maybe I didn't do them right."

And again he did them, and then another two times after that. Each time, Nico was still in the state they thought to be brain dead: unresponsive.

"I'm so, so sorry, Percy." Dr. Solace looked over at him sadly. "There's nothing else I can do."

Percy's mind was blank, as if in shock at what was happening. No, he couldn't be telling him that Nico was unresponsive…he couldn't take him off….he couldn't…he couldn't…

"I saw his hand move one day!" Percy blurted out, even though he still thought that that was a trick of his mind. "I was talking to him…and it moved…"

"And you didn't tell me?!" he looked startled, almost dropping something from his hands.

"I didn't know if I really saw it or not." Percy said, looking down at his feet. He could feel his mother's gaze on him, but he didn't look up at her. Instead, he kept his eyes fixated on his shoes.

"Well," Dr. Solace started, his voice odd, "it seems we may have to do more tests."

Percy perked his head up. "Seriously?!"

"Well, yes." Dr. Solace winked at him. "We may have to wait for tomorrow before we do anything. We'll see how long the tests take."

Percy's face brightened. "Thank you!"

"Hey, don't thank me." Dr. Solace answered. "It's what needs to be done. I'll go order them."

Percy watched him walk out to the nurse's desk, which was right outside the room. He began to talk to them, though Percy couldn't here what he was saying. Turning back around, Percy looked down at Nico.

"Nico, I know you're in there." Percy laid his hand on his arm.

Percy felt a stirring under his hand, and looking down alarmed, he saw the slight movement in Nico's arm, and then it went still again.

"Mom, come here!" Percy called. "He moved mom, I really think he moved!"

His mom ran over, but Nico was still.

"Nico, I saw it. I saw you move. Please, just do it again." Percy rubbed the spot on his arm again.

For a few minutes, nothing happened. And then, right before Sally moved to leave, his arm moved again, slightly longer this time.

"Oh, Lord, he's really waking up! I'll go get the doctor!" Sally rushed out of the room, leaving Percy alone with Nico.

"Nico, you did it again. This time, please, you just need to open your eyes. Just open them for me, okay? Please?" Percy asked, rubbing feeling into the boy's eyelids. He felt Sally and Dr. Solace come rushing in, but didn't dare turn his attention away from his cousin.

"Are you sure you saw him move?" Percy heard Dr. Solace ask from behind him, but made no move to answer, letting his mom do it. He couldn't ruin the moment, he couldn't for on second not pay attention to Nico. Not if he was going to wake up.

"Yes, we both saw it." Sally explained. "It was his left arm, it moved a couple inches, but not much because of the restraints."

By then, a couple nurses had come in, waiting for anything they could do. Dr. Solace old them to go get the psychologist and the orthopedist to see if they could help, or it the psychologist's case, to help them when he woke up.

"Come on Nico…come on Nico…" Percy said, rubbing his arms crossed Nico's face and arms. "Please, please, please…"

The doctors started to get shifty behind him, but he knew he couldn't look back to see if they left. This was the moment he had been waiting for his whole life. This one moment.

And then, through the black and white haze of the miracle, Nico opened his eyes for the first time in six months.

And then crashed.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8-

Nico felt a surge like never before, energy flowing through him, first on his arm, and then over his eyes. His arm was moving, multiple times…and then his eyes opened….

When he opened his eyes, the first thing that greeted him was the light. Nico had gone so long without seeing any light that it was blinding. Not exactly sure what was happening, Nico felt his heart start to race again, and then the unbearable pain started, engulfing his chest in flames.

This time, though, when it ended, his eyes opened again, and he could see. Nico was staring up at a white ceiling, drinking it all in. He could see, there was no more dark, he wasn't afraid.

"Nico….?"

Nico whipped his head to the side. He knew that voice. Sea Green Eyes, he had come back. He was talking to him…

"Nico, you're awake!" the boy stepped forward, a tear making its way down his check. "Oh my god, you're awake."

Nico looked at him in confusion. All he wanted to know was his name. He needed to know his name.

"You don't know me?" he asked, crestfallen. "You don't remember me?"

Nico shook his head.

"Memory lose is very expected." a man said, coming over to Nico.

"So he won't remember what he did?" Sea Green eyes asked, but received no answer.

"Nico, my name is Dr. Solace, but you can call me Apollo." the man said, sitting in a chair beside Nico's bed. "I've been your doctor. It seems you've been asleep for awhile, huh?"

Nico flicked his eyes between the doctor and the boy, trying to piece everything together. He said that he had been asleep… So was he in a coma after all?

"You want to know my name?" the boy stepped forward, pointing to himself. "My name's Percy Jackson, I'm your cousin."

Percy Jackson….it was he who had been talking to Nico.

Nico opened his mouth to talk, but pain radiated from his throat. He tried to bring his hands toward it, but realized that they were strapped to the bed.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Don't try to get out." Dr. Solace held down his hands gently. "We'll get the tube out of your throat so you can talk, alright?"

Nico nodded, unsure of how else to respond. All he wanted to do was go and find who he remembered, who had talked to him. He needed to find out what happened to Bianca, and why he had been in a coma.

Dr. Solace left, leaving Nico alone with Percy and a woman he didn't know. He couldn't ask, however, so he watched Percy, realizing hat he was silently crying.

"Nico, I know you might not remember, but we used to talk all the time." Percy started, sitting down where Dr. Solace was. "We grew up together, and went to this camp."

Nico didn't remember, but couldn't voice his opinion. Where were the others that had talked to him?

"It was me, you, Annabeth, and Thalia." Percy continued. "You were always playing that game, Mythomagic, you used to love it. Remember that?"

Again, Nico shook his head, his mind swarming with the memories Percy was handing him. Yes, he couldn't remember them himself, but he had a little more to think about.

"You don't remember…? That's okay! That's fine, I, uh, can teach you. I can win this time!" Percy said excitedly. "I'll teach you all the rules and stuff. We can play with your old set…..oh, yeah….um; we can buy a new set. They can't be that much."

Nico stopped listening to Percy, who continued to ramble on, and started to watch in the hallway, where he could see his doctor and a police officer talking, the police writing something on his clipboard. He glanced over and caught Nico staring, giving him a glare before turning back to the doctor.

Percy stopped talking, seeing that Nico was looking somewhere else. When he looked to see what it was, his face went pale, and automatically, he stood up, as if protecting Nico.

Nico tried to ask what was going on, but the pain erupting from his throat, stopped him again. He felt tears come to his eyes, but bit his lip to stop from crying. He was going to figure everything out, he had to. He had to find Bianca.

Dr. Solace walked in, the police officer in tow, clipboard in hand. Glancing over at Nico worriedly, Dr. Solace went over to his bedside and began the task of taking the tube out of Nico's throat. When he was done, after many tears from Nico, he bandaged it and helped him drink from a glass of water.

"Ok, do you want to try to talk now?" he asked, taking the glass from Nico's lips.

Nico opened his mouth to speak, but closed it almost immediately. It still hurt, and was very raw. Apollo gave him some more water, seeing his discomfort, and encouraged him to try again.

"Where's…" Nico stopped, unable to get anything else out. He could hear his voice, raspy and forced, echoed in his ears.

"Where's who?" Percy asked, immediately being shushed by the other adults.

"Where's…Bianca?" Nico chocked out, wincing from the pain. When he received no answer, he looked to the others in the room, seeing their painful expressions. "Where…is she?"

"Nico…" Percy said miserably, this time not getting yelled at by the others. Apollo was furiously writing down on Nico's char, while the policemen looked over his shoulder. The woman behind Percy had her phone out, talking quietly into it. She, too, had tears streaming down her checks.

"P-Percy…." Nico answered, receiving a small smile from the other boy. "Where…is she? Why…is nobody…speaking?"

"You remember Bianca?" Percy asked, instead of answering.

"Barely…her eyes…they were brown, like chocolate." Nico answered, his throat warming up. He was getting used to talking, and he was more than fine with that. "And then….they were red….I need- I need to find out why they were red."

"That's enough talking for today." Apollo cut in. "Nico, you need to rest. Your body is working overtime right now. In a couple hours, we are going to get you a CT. Until then, you need to rest. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah," Nico answered, even though he wasn't. In all honesty, he just wanted to put off resting. To put off sleeping. He was, in fact, scared to close his eyes; fearful that he wouldn't wake back up.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9-

Thalia had slept in that day, not wanting to wake up. She was really not looking forward to the call that came from Percy, which she assumed would be him, telling her that Nico was dead; that they had taken him off of the ventilator. That's why when she did find out that day, she didn't really believe it. Only when she stepped into the hospital room, seeing Percy help Nico eat, did she truly admit it.

He was alive.

Thalia ran the short distance to his bed and engulfed him in a bone crushing hug, not pulling back until she noticed that she was crying from relief. Percy was smiling at her, but when she looked back at Nico, he looked at her in confusion. And then he asked the question she had been dreading.

"Who are you?"

"You…don't know me?" Thalia asked, inflating at his memory lose.

"I know your voice…you have blue eyes." Nico muttered, gazing at her quizzing.

"Nico, this is Thalia Grace, our cousin." Percy explained, talking to Nico as if he was a toddler. "You guys used to talk all the time."

"Thalia…" Nico said to himself. "She's my cousin, and so are you, Percy."

"That's right." Percy congratulated. "And can you remember your doctor's name?"

"Apollo, 2,000 attack power…" he murmured, as if not really meaning to say anything.

"What did you say?" Percy perked up, his face hopeful; the food in his hands was left forgotten.

"I-I don't know." Nico shook his head. "I didn't say anything."

Percy's face fell. "Yeah, you didn't say anything…"

Thalia sat down in another chair and watched as Percy continued to help Nico eat, not really talking, but enjoying his time with Nico. Just like Thalia, he still couldn't believe it. After six months of waiting, thinking that his cousin was going to be dead; and then, in the spur of the moment, his cousin surviving. If he was religious, he would have given thanks for hours, but he wasn't, so he didn't. He did, however, find himself praying countless times through those six months. He still didn't know how to feel about this.

Apollo came in, Nico's chart in his hand. When he saw him sitting up, and looking healthy, his mouth split into a grin.

"Nico, good to see you well and awake." he greeted. "It's time to take you to your CT."

"You still haven't explained anything to me." Nico replied quietly. "What am I doing here? And you guys never answered me about Bianca. I want to know what's going on."

Thalia breathed in sharply at the mention of Bianca, but otherwise didn't answer. Percy looked at Apollo for permission, and when Apollo nodded, he began to tell Nico.

"Nico, first of all, we aren't sure why you have no memory. But that's what the CT is going to be for." Percy started. "We were never really sure why you passed out to begin with, though. They think it's from your…schizophrenia."

"Schizophrenia?" Nico mused, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

Percy winced. This was the side of Nico that he hated, and refused to be around. And now, after everything that happened…

"We're getting him medicine for it." Apollo whispered in his ear. "It should be ready by tomorrow."

Percy nodded at him, then turned back to Nico to finish the story.

"You did something bad before…do you remember what it was?" Percy asked, not wanting to say it.

Nico scrunched up his eyebrows, his smile dropping. His voice was quiet, but calm. "It's about Bianca, isn't it?'

Percy nodded sadly. "Yeah, it is….Look, Nico, why don't we talk about this tomorrow?"

"No, I don't want to talk about it tomorrow!" Nico raised his voice, struggling against the restraints. "Bianca…what's wrong with her? What did I do!? Just tell me!"

Percy didn't realize Nico's heart was going too fast until the nurses were in there and Apollo was right beside him, taking the paddles from a nearby nurse. And then, the most dreadful noise Percy had ever heard:

The flat line.

"Clear!" Apollo put the paddles on Nico's chest, and once again, Percy watched helplessly as they tried to save his cousin. This seemed to be happening too much, but he wasn't the doctor, and he couldn't do anything about it. It made him sick to think like that, but it was true.

They resuscitated Nico, but it seemed like it took longer each time. Apollo had his stethoscope to Nico's chest, listening to his heartbeat, but had a concerned look on his face. After six months of visiting this hospital, almost daily, Percy knew something else was wrong. Nico shouldn't have been coding that much.

"Nico, you keep giving us quite a scare." Apollo said, looking down at the boy. "You can't keep getting excited like that. You need to rest, you just woke up."

Nico, now to exhausted to speak, only nodded. Percy saw how he fought to keep his eyes open, how he did his best to fight off the inevitable foundation of sleep. Yet, as he was pushed out of the room, he fell back into his subconscious. Percy knew he could do nothing but wait, and, as he soon learned, pray.

 _ **Line Breakkkkkk**_

The night was the worst.

The CT scan showed that everything was fine, and Apollo said that either he would regain his memory over time, or it would be lost forever. No in between. This upset Percy, but he knew he shouldn't be complaining. His cousin was alive, and that was enough.

However, Percy soon learned that schizophrenia was more terrifying than he thought.

Percy had elected to stay the night with Nico, since he had been panicking from no memories. So, he made a bed on the couch, and fell asleep at around ten. When he woke up at midnight to Nico's voice, he thought Nico had been talking to him. He was wrong.

"He didn't do anything to me." Nico said quietly, but angrily, staring off at the door, which was closed. "He helped me."

"Nico, who are you talking to?" Percy asked, dread filling his stomach. He received no answered.

"No! I said no!" Nico started to fight against his bonds.

Percy held down Nico's wrists, trying to keep him calm, and pressed the call button, alerting Apollo. Nico, however, seemed unaware of this, instead screaming at somebody that wasn't there. When Percy looked at his expression, all he saw was fear.

By the time Apollo came in, Nico had gotten so worked up that he had tears free falling from his eyes and his IV was about to come out of his arm. Immediately, Apollo rushed in, and for some reason, this broke Nico's delusion. While Apollo worked on getting his IV stable, Nico slammed his head against the bed and squeezed his eyes shut, shaking furiously. Percy tried to talk soothingly to him, but it didn't seem to work.

"I'm giving him benzodiazepines. It'll calm him down." Apollo explained, using a shot to put the medication through Nico's IV. Immediately he relaxed, and soon enough, fell back asleep.

"What was that?" Percy asked, breathless, sitting down in the nearby chair.

"Schizophrenia."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Nico's vision was kind of blurry, everything moving as if in slow motion. After Apollo left, Percy had fallen back asleep, his snores magnified but also far away in his mind. He was so tired, but knew he couldn't go to sleep, not yet. They wouldn't let him. He would be in trouble.

 _'Kill him. He's here for nothing more but to get you. He's going to get you!'_

"No he's not." Nico answered. "He wouldn't do that."

 _'He's going to get you! Hurry, hurry! He's sleeping, just get him!' 'He's not telling you everything. He was the one that hurt Bianca. He did it! He'll do it to you! Get him!'_

"Just stop!" Nico tried to cover his ears, but his wrists were strapped down. He pulled as hard as he could, but he couldn't get them free.

Colors swarmed everywhere, but at the same time his vision was clear. He couldn't keep his eyes off of Percy…his cousin…

 _'He's lying! He isn't you're cousin! Get him! Get him!'_

They were screaming, They're voices echoing through his head. If he listened, they would stop…they would stop…

 _'Silly boy, you can't do anything, can you?' 'You don't even know how to kill him, do you? Hah! You're an idiot!' 'Little boy…little boy' 'Get him! Get him!'_

They were shrill, calculating and insulting. But They were his friends. They knew what was right…he could listen to them…

 _'These walls are white.'_ the girl, whom he remembered, was in the corner, her lips curved into a smile. She was always smiling. _'Wouldn't they look better red?'_

Nico looked at her pleadingly. "Stop, please-"

 _"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells. Pretty maids all in a row.'_

"Stop singing." Nico knew she wouldn't.

 _'The incy wincy spider went up the water sprout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain. The incy wincy spider went up the spout again.'_

"I want to smile again." Nico explained to her. She was the only one to talk to.

She smiled wider, her eyes twinkling with madness. She started to come closer. _'Hickory dickery dock, the mouse went up the clock. The clock struck twelve, the mouse went down. Hickory dickery dock."_

"What are you going to do?" Nico asked curiously. He could trust her, right?

 _'Mary had a little lamb, his fleece was white as snow.'_ he could see her grab something off of the table, a knife… _'Everywhere that Mary went her lamb was sure to go.'_

"I don't like nursery rhythms." Nico commented, staring at her.

She was at the foot of his bed now. _'Ring around the rosy, pockets full of poises. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down."_

"That one's about the plague." Nico said. "The Black Plague."

She was right next to him. _'Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder where you are. Up above this world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder where you are.'_

The knife was on his face…cutting in his checks…he knew he was screaming…but he couldn't see…it was blurry…it was so blurry…he could hear Percy…was he screaming, too?…

Nico's visions snapped back abruptly, everything clear, the voices were silent. He was on the floor, and looking down, he saw that his wrist strapped were broken, a bloodied knife in his hand…

There was blood, everywhere, it covered his hospital gown, a pool starting on the floor. His face was hurting, so bad. When he reached up to touch it, it stung like open wounds; his checks were raw, flesh was feel-able. When he pulled his hand back, blood was in his fingernails, which were cracked and broken.

"What happened?" Apollo ran in, and seeing Nico on the floor, his face went pale. Nico could sense Percy behind him, but didn't want to face him. If the voices came back…

"We need to stitch him up." Apollo kneeled beside him, taking his wrists in his hands, keeping them down and away from his face. "Nico, what did you do?"

"I didn't do it." Nico answered. "I didn't do anything."

"Nico, you're cheeks are slit. Like Jeff the Killer." Percy said, his voice raw and scratchy. It was around four in the morning.

"I just wanting to smile…." Nico whispered. He didn't know what was going on. Why didn't they believe him. He didn't do it! She did!


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11-

When Annabeth got to school the next day and saw that neither Thalia nor Percy was there, she assumed that Nico had died. She hated to admit it, but she kind of felt bad for him…he was only a teenager. Still, he was a murderer. She had to keep reminding herself that. He had killed one of her best friends.

The day after that, when Annabeth got to her class, Percy wasn't there again. Yet, a minute before the bell, he ran it and quickly sat in his seat; he wasn't technically late. Percy's appearance showed that he had been up all night, especially his eyes, which looked to be permanently rimmed red. He still wore his pajamas, but didn't seem to notice.

"Good morning, Mr. Jackson." their teacher called, earning laughter throughout the room, but Percy didn't seem to notice. Instead, he looked at his phone under his desk, it opened to his text messages…waiting….for who? When Annabeth looked closer, she could see the contact.

Nico di Angelo.

She could feel the blood drain from her face, her pulse speeding up as her hands started to shake. If he was waiting on a text from Nico…then he was alive? But he was supposed to be dead…he was supposed to be dead!

Throughout the class, Annabeth kept her eyes fixated on Percy's phone, but he never received a text. After she left that class, she wouldn't see Percy again until lunch, and felt disappointed that she wouldn't be able to see what was going on. Still, she knew she could just ask at lunch.

When she got to lunch, however, Percy wasn't at their usual table. When she looked around, she couldn't find him anywhere. After searching the school grounds with no sign of him, she asked the main office if he had went home for the day. What they said in response confirmed her prediction. He had gotten a call from the hospital, asking him to come immediately.

 _ **Line Breakkkkkk**_

Percy knew as soon as he got the call that it wouldn't be good. Apollo had warned him, after all, that Nico could relapse back into a coma, or worse, his body could shut down. And if he survived, it would be a hard recovery. But even after that, Percy never dreamed that something like this could happen.

Percy walked into Nico's hospital room, finding it empty, expect for a janitor, who was cleaning blood off the floor. It seemed to be everywhere, staining everything…

"Where's Nico?" Percy asked, his speech returning to him. Nico had to be alive…he had to be alive…he had to…

"They took him into surgery."

Percy turned around to see one of Nico's younger doctors, Dr. Parker. He was in his early thirties, his brown hair combed neatly to the side.

"W-What happened?" Percy asked; dread starting to rush over him.

"He started to cough up blood, and then he had a seizer." Dr. Parker explained slowly, putting his hands on Percy's shaking shoulders. "We must have been wrong, because these are signs that something's medically wrong with his brain."

"There's something else wrong?" Percy asked. "But the med were working! I-"

"I know." he led Percy over to the couch and sat him down. "Now listen, you need to relax. I'll come update you when I can. I'm going to go help them."

Percy nodded, sinking back into the couch. He knew this wasn't going to be easy, they warned him it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. Why hadn't he listened to them?

Knowing that worrying himself sick wouldn't help, Percy pulled out his homework and started to work on it. He needed a distraction, something to numb his anxiety. But the homework didn't help, and the TV only seemed to remind him of what was going on. Shakily, he folded his hands together, and very sloppily, Percy started to pray.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12-

Relapse was one of the things Percy hated the most. One minute Nico was fine, and then the next he was in surgery after having a seizer. Something was wrong with him, they could just never find out what.

When Apollo finally came out and told Percy that Nico was okay, he almost collapsed with relief.

"What was wrong with him, though?" Percy asked.

"His brain hemorrhaged." Apollo explained. "We think it was from his high blood pressure."

Percy nodded. "So he's still schizophrenic?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so." Apollo answered. "He' still asleep, but you can see-"

"Dad, mom sent me to get you." Percy turned around to see Will Solace coming towards them. "You weren't answering your phone and you were supposed to get off awhile ago. She just wanted to check if you were alright."

"I'm fine, Will." Apollo answered. "I just had an emergency surgery to do."

Will seemed to notice Percy for the first time. "Oh, right, sorry. Percy, right?"

"Yeah," Percy nodded. "And you're Will?"

"The one and only." Will smiled before turning back to his father. "When should I say you're coming home?"

Apollo sighed. "I'm not sure. I'm going to have to look after Nico tonight. He's very…unstable."

"Ok, that's fine." Will nodded at Percy before leaving.

"I'm sorry about that. You want to see him?" Apollo asked, gesturing for Percy to follow him. Eventually they made it back to Nico's room (Percy had been redirected to the waiting room). When they got inside, Percy immediately went to Nico's bedside.

"You didn't have to shave his head?" Percy asked, immediately grabbed Nico's restrained hand.

"No," Apollo replied. "We're just going to have to keep a close eye on him tonight. You need to go home, though. You have school tomorrow. Will said it always looks like you got absolutely no sleep. That's not good for you."

"Yeah, but I'm the only one that Nico has." Percy answered. "If he were to die…nobody should die alone, sick like this. I want to stay with him."

Apollo sighed. "Fine, but we'll set up a cot for you in here. It will be a little more comfortable than the couch."

"Thanks," Percy answered. After Apollo left, Percy texted his mom saying where he was before putting his book bag away in one of the cupboards.

That night was better than the others, but it was still hard. Multiple times, Nico would wake up, but instead of screaming at people who weren't really there, he would complain about the pain. He kept saying "my head is on fire".

"I've given him as much medicine as he can have." Apollo explained. "I can't give him anymore. There's nothing else I can do. That's why he's so loopy."

"It's on fire…" Nico mumbled before falling back asleep.

This happened a couple times more throughout the night, but overall, he did pretty good. When Percy started to get ready for school, Nico was awake, and alert.

"You're leaving?" he asked, trying to sit up but failing. "Where are you going?"

"I've got to go to school, Nico." Percy replied. "I'll be back later, I promise."

"Will you tell me what happened then?" Nico asked. "You guys keep lying. I want to-I need to know how I got here. And why you're acting so weird about Bianca."

"You don't want to know, Nico. Wouldn't you want it to stay like this?" Percy asked.

"No!" Nico exclaimed. "Percy, I don't know who I am, I can't remember anything before I woke up. But-But I know I miss Bianca. She was my sister, wasn't she? I can't keep living like this!"

"Nico, calm down." Nico put his hands on his shoulders. "Just, look…I'll tell you when I get back, alright? I'll tell you then."

"Promise?" Nico asked, wincing as the pain started to return.

"I promise."

And with that, Percy left for school, dreading the day ending. When Nico found out…what would he do?


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13-

Nico had fallen asleep two more times while he waited for Percy to get back…Percy Jackson…the only one that would talk to him. What had he done that was so bad? They treated him like a murderer.

Nico was staring at the TV silently, his own show playing in his mind while the screen was blank. But it wasn't blank to him. It was a whole different world. He didn't even know Percy was there until he was shaking his shoulders.

"Percy, you're back!" Nico felt his face light up. "Now, you have to tell me. You promised."

Percy's face dropped. "I did, didn't I? Oh, god, Nico, okay. Okay. You just have to promise to stay alive. No more brain hemorrhaging on me, got it?"

"I can't help that Percy." Nico responded. "But, yeah, I promise. Tell me."

"Bianca…was your sister." Percy started, looking at Nico carefully. "You're younger sister was Hazel, and your mom's name was Maria."

"Hazel…Maria…" Nico muttered the names. "Then where are they?"

"Hazel is living in California now, with your dad." Percy said the easiest first. "She's a year younger than you. She's got really curly hair and chocolate eyes, just like you."

"Okay, but what about Bianca and my mom?" Nico asked. "What do they look like?"

Percy sighed. "I've got a picture on my phone. Here, let me pull it up."

When Percy held up the phone for Nico to see, he was met with a younger version of himself, smiling back, with three girls around him, which he guessed to be his mom and his sisters.

And then it all came flooding back.

 _Nico had gone to his room to eat dinner, not really excited about sitting around the TV. The voices came from the TV, tempting him, torturing him. But even in his room he heard them, their voices reaching out with invisible arms. They were going to get him. He had to stop them, had to listen to them. Had to. Had to. Had to._

 _Nico stepped out of his room and ran to the kitchen, where everyone's dinner plates sat in the sink. Stacked up, not moving. They messed with his mind. They were rotting, he was rotting…_

 _He grabbed the butcher knife, wiping the remaining meat on his pants. He had to kill the voices…this was the only way._

 _Stepping into Bianca's bedroom, he could see her laying on her bed, phone on speaker as she painted her nails. She had prom the next day._

 _He could see her mouth moving, but only the voices came from it. The darkness of them…their jeering words. He needed to stop them._

 _Nico moved faster than he had ever had, the knife being brought down without hesitation, without thought. Again and again and again. She had been dead the first time it struck her head, giving her no room to scream. He kept bringing it down, however, having to make sure the voices were gone, dead._

 _And then it was silent, except for the girl talking on the phone. Nico picked it up and threw it, the bits and pieces flying throughout the room. And then the silence returned, until it was broken by the voices. He could hear them coming down the hall, echoing everywhere._

 _Nico hurried into the closet an closed the door, looking through the opening as his little sister came into the room. Immediately, she screamed in panic, and in one quick movement, he was out and the knife was through her back._

 _Her voices were quiet, too, but he knew where the other voices were. The voices had been in his mother since he was nine years old. He could never escape them, though. But today was the day. They would be gone, forever._

 _He flew into his mother's room in a flash, the already stained knife colliding with her sleeping body. The scent of blood filled his nostrils, but he couldn't stop. He had to keep them away, even if it meant stabbing throughout the night._

 _When the sun rose and the room with freshly painted red, the voices stopped, the knife dropped. It clattered against the ground, the sound echoing in his ears. And then, he too, dropped to the floor, a smile on his face. It was finally quiet. He closed his eyes, and didn't open them again._

Nico's eyes snapped open, the image gone from his mind. Percy pulled his phone back reluctantly, not really sure what was happening. And then, Percy could see Nico's eyes glaze over, and once again he began to relapse into insanity.

Nico laughed until his eyes were watering and his throat was dry and raw.


	15. Chapter 14

_**AN: I don't know why I decided to end this like I did, but it just popped into my head and stuck. Warnings in horror, I guess? Anyways, this is the last chapter.~Peyton**_

"Winding Meadows," Apollo explained, him and Percy sitting in the conference room. "It's very nice. I have a pamphlet right here for you."

"I don't want my baby cousin in a psyche ward." Percy declined the offered paper. "Why can't he just come home with me?"

"Because he murdered two people and laughed about it." Apollo answered. "Look, he needs to go there."

"I'm technically not his next of kin." Percy tried to think of anything to buy them some time. "It would be Hazel. She would have to be here in person, wouldn't she? Until then you guys can't touch him."

Apollo sighed. "Fine, Percy, but it's going to happen. You can't put it off forever. Nico needs help."

"I could help him!" Percy defended, standing up out of the chair. "Why is everybody saying I can't?!"

"Because he murdered two people." Sally repeated quietly, but it shut Percy up. "You would never know if you were really safe with him."

"He's my cousin…" Percy responded.

"He was their brother, their son." Sally answered. "Percy, he's in too deep to just take him home. Let them help him. Are you really going to make Hazel come all the way back here? She's still having trouble with her legs."

"She would want to." Percy replied. "I know she would."

Sally shook her head at him. "Fine, Percy. I'll call her father. I hope you'll realize, and soon, what is best for Nico, not you."

A couple days later, Percy met Hazel at the airport, carrying her bags as she used her crutches to get around. When they finally made it to Percy's car, she almost collapsed in her seat.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked, turning the engine on.

"I'm fine." Hazel smiled at him sweetly. She had always been the nicest person he had ever known, no matter what happened to her. "Let's just get there already."

"Okay," Percy nodded and pulled out of the parking lot, making his way through traffic and to the hospital. Once he finally got there, he left the bags in the car and helped Hazel out.

"I hate this place." Hazel commented as they walked inside, getting n the elevator. "Brings back old memories."

"I'm sorry." Percy apologized, having not thought about that.

Hazel smiled, bumping him with her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it."

Percy smiled at her as the elevator doors opened, allowing them to get off and onto the floor. Percy led Hazel to the conference room, where Apollo and Sally were waiting.

"Hazel, it's good to see you." Sally welcomed her, helping her to a seat. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good, Mrs. Jackson." Hazel replied. "It's good to see you, too."

"You're legs are better, I suppose?" Apollo asked. "You're walking rather well."

Hazel grimaced at the memory of what happened, but quickly hid it with another smile. This one Percy knew to be fake. "Yeah, there's almost no pain."

"That's good to here." Apollo took out a folder and opened it. "But, as you know, we aren't here for your legs. This is about you're brother, Nico di Angelo."

Hazel closed her eyes briefly, reopening them without a smile on her face. "I heard that he's awake."

Apollo nodded carefully. "We were thinking that since he would be getting out of the hospital soon, that a psychiatric hospital would be best for him in this stage."

"I agree." Hazel replied quietly. "I think it would be best for him. They might be able to help him."

"What?!" Percy stood up, unsure of what he was hearing. Hazel couldn't agree with them, could she? She couldn't let them take him away.

"What? What's wrong, Percy?" Hazel asked.

"He thinks differently." Sally explained, looking at her son sadly. "Percy, he needs help."

"Don't you guys see?" Percy yelled. "If you put him in there, he's never coming out. They won't let him out. He'll die in there, all alone."

Percy ran from the room, not wanting their answers. He knew what they would be. They wanted Nico to die, didn't they? They wanted him to live the rest of his life trapped behind locked doors in a white padded room, without windows. They wanted him to rot in there, didn't they? Well, Percy wouldn't allow it. Not over his dead body.

When Percy got to Nico's room, the adrenaline in his body was running too hard to even let himself sit down. He couldn't let them take him, he wouldn't let them take him. He needed to stop it, but how? How could he stop them?

The idea struck Percy so suddenly, so out of the blue, it was almost like somebody whispered it to him. The thought made him shutter, and if he hadn't been in that need of an idea, weak in desperation, he would have thought of himself as crazy, he would have hated himself for even thinking about it. But there he was, locking the hospital door, covering the cameras with blankets.

Part of him asked him what he was doing, what he was thinking. The small part of him told him that he was making a mistake, but he wouldn't listen. This was best, for Nico. He wouldn't let Nico rot for the rest of his life, he wouldn't. He was his baby cousin, he had to do everything he could for him.

Percy walked up to Nico's sleeping form, realizing for the first time how much he cared about his cousin. He would do anything for him, including this. This….

Percy went over to the lunch tray and picked the knife up, weighing it in his hand. Perfect….

It was the only way…the only way…He had to do it for Nico. He had to kill Nico for Nico.

Percy brought the knife down on the boy, and for the first time, he realized why Nico liked killing so much.

It deleted your problems.


End file.
